Vehicle.



PATENTED OCT. 11, 1904.

' J. A. WILLIAMS.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1904.

NO MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

12 W/T/VESSES: 2 INVENTOH 26. Joke 27 .yZZl/zilza'nw BY mm;

A 7TOHNE rs Patented October 11, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. WILLIAMS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,199, dated October 11, 1904.

Application filed June 16, 1904:- .Serial No. 212,797. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, J OSEPH A. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Vehicle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to vehicles, it being particularly applicable to those propelled by motors.

It has for its principal. objects the provision of means for connecting to the same supporting-wheels both the vehicle steering and driving mechanism.

It consists in the various features and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a central vertical transverse section through a portion ofa vehicle-frame and one of its wheels, one-embodiment of my invention being associated. therewith. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail in plan of the supporting-yoke with the axle and steering-arm trunnioned thereon. Fig. 5 is a partial section taken in the same plane as Fig. 1 and showing another embodiment of my invention. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 shows in plan the connecting-shell between the wheel and driving-ring.

F designates a vehicleeframe, but a portion of which is here shown, and this comprising a transverse member 10 and a longitudinal member 11. These are connected at their adjacent ends by a fitting 12, from which project opposite yoke-arms 13 13. Trunnioned between these arms is a supporting-bar 14, having screws 15with cylindrical heads 16, which fit in openings in the arms. Extending from the supporting-bar is an axle 17, upon which is journaled a wheel 18, there being prefer: ably provided interposed ball-bearings 19. of any convenient form. From the inner side of the hub of the wheel projects a flange 20, to which is secured a shell 21, preferably made in sections for convenience in assembling and fastened to the flange by screws 22. This shell is parti-circular in form, its spherical surface being that described from a center located midway of the axis of the trunnion-bar. It is provided with a series of equidistant slots 23, lying along circumferential lines of the shell and extending parallel to the axis of the wheel. The operation of assembling the elements renders it convenient to have the inner ends of these slots open, and the elements are preferably stayed and held in their proper relation to one another by a retaining member or collar, 24, which may be secured to the ends of each of the divisions between the slots. In each of these slots operates a driving projection or tooth 25 of any convenient form and preferably having a flange 26, contacting with the interior of the shell, and a flange 27, resting upon the exterior thereof, the adjacent faces of the flanges being curved to conform to the surfaces of the shell. These-flanges serve to prevent longitudinal movement of the teeth through the slots. At the inner end of each tooth is a projection 28, preferably of cylindrical form, which extends into a peripheral groove formed in an annulus or guiding member 29, which may be secured to the yoke-arms by screws 30. To swing the wheel for the purpose of steering, the trunnion-bar is shown as provided with an arm 31, and to this is articulated a rod 32, leading to steering mechanism of any desired type. Springs 33, supporting the body, may be connected at each end by a link 34 with a bracket 35, projectingfrom the fitting 12. To rotate the wheel, power may be applied to the driving-teeth by any suitable form of gearing-as, for example, a pinion P, which preferably meshes with the teeth as they reach the horizontal plane. It will beevident that the guiding of said teeth by the groove in the annulus will cause them all to remain in one plane, and thus be properly presented to the pinion while the wheel is being turned in either direction upon its trun- .nion-support for the purpose of steering, the

shell rocking freely by them to permit this.

The fact that the teeth are constrained to occupy a fixed plane which is, moreover, always vertical to the frame allows other forms of gearing, such as a chain, to be applied for connection with the motor. Instead of these independent or floating teeth a series of connected teeth 37 (shown in Figs. 5 to 7 as adapted for coaction with a chain) may be formed on a ring which comprises a web 38 and a base 39, curved to conform to the shell 21, which may be identical in form with that previously described and mounted upon the wheel in the same manner. At the inside of this ring is secured a retaining-ring 4:0, similarly curved at its inner side, and between the base 39 and the retaining-ring and comprised in each are a suitable number of sockets (here illustrated as four) which receive pins or projections 4:1, extending into slots 42, formed in the shell. As these connected teeth will have no capability of self-adjustment, as was the case in the form hereinbefore described, it will be seen that when the wheel is turned in steering the projections which occupy angular positions between the vertical and the horizontal will be forced not axially of the slots, butat an angle thereto, and for this reason it is necessary that a clearance should be provided. This may be effected by widening the opposite ends of the grooves, their contact-walls being shown as of reversed ellipsoidal form. The inner ends of the pins 4L1 cooperate with the annular groove in the ring carried by the frame-yoke, as in the previously-described arrangement, and the toothed ring is therefore maintained thereby in the true driving plane. Whichever form is employed, it is obvious that the vehicle may be driven by connecting the motor to the steering-wheels without sensibly interfering with the flexibility of movement.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. The combination with a frame, of an axle mounted to swing thereon, a vehicle-wheel rotatable about the axle, driving-teeth in rotatable engagement with the wheel, and means carried by the frame for guiding the teeth.

2. The combination with a frame, of an axle mounted to swing thereon, a vehicle-wheel rotatable about the axle and being provided with slots, driving-teeth extending through the slots, and means carried by the frame for guiding the teeth.

3. The combination with a frame, of an axle mounted to swing thereon, a vehicle-wheel rotatable about the axle and being provided with slots, driving-teeth extending through the slots, means carried by the frame for guiding the teeth, and steering mechanism connected with the guiding means.

4:. The combination with a frame, one member of which is provided with a groove, of an axle mounted to swing thereon, a vehiclewheel rotatable about the axle, and drivingteeth in engagement with the frame-groove and with the wheel.

5. The combination with a frame, of an axle mounted to swing thereon, a vehicle-wheel rotatable about the axle and being provided with a series of slots, and a tooth movable in each of the slots, said teeth also having engagement with the frame.

6. The combination with a frame provided with an annular groove, of an axle mounted to swing thereon, a vehicle-wheel rotatable about the axle and being provided with a series of slots, and a tooth movable ineach of the slots, said teeth extending into the annu: lar groove.

7. The combination with a frame, of an axle mounted to swing thereon, a vehicle-wheel rotatable about the axle, a parti-splierical shell carried by the Wheel and having a series of slots extending in the direction of the wheelaxis, teeth movable in the slots, and means for guiding the teeth.

8. The combination witha frame, of an axle mounted to swing thereon, a vehicle-wheel rotatable about the axle, independent drivingteeth in rotatable engagement with the wheel, and means carried by the. frame for constraining the teeth to move in a single plane.

9. The combination with a frame, of an axle mounted to swing thereon, a vehicle-wheel rotatable about the axle and being provided with a series of slots, and an independentlymovable tooth situated in each of the slots and having engagement with the frame.

10. The combination with a frame, ofa yoke carried thereby, an axle trunnioned upon the yoke, a wheel journaled upon the axle, and a driving projection having movable engagement with the yoke and wheel.

11. The combination with a frame, of a yoke carried thereby, an axle trunnioned upon the yoke, a wheel journaled upon the axle, a driving projection having movable engagement with the yoke and wheel, and steering mechanism connected with the trunnion.

12. The combination with a frame, of a yoke carried thereby, an axle trunnioned upon the yoke and having a grooved annulus fixed thereto, a wheel journaled upon the axle, and a driving projection extending into the groove and having rotatable engagement with the Wheel.

13. The combination with a frame, of a yoke carried thereby, an axle trunnioned upon the yoke, a wheel journaled upon the axle and being provided with a series of slots, driving projections movable in the slots, and means carried by the yoke for guiding the driving projections.

14C. The combination with a frame, of a yoke carried thereby, an axle trunnioned upon the yoke, a wheel journaled upon the axle and being provided with a series of slots, independent driving projections movable in the slots, and means carried by the yoke for guiding the driving projections.

15. The combination with a frame,of a wheel rotatabl y mounted thereon and being provided with a series of slots, and teeth movable in the s ots.

16. The combination with a frame,of a wheel rotatably mounted thereon, a parti-spherical shell carried by the wheel and having slots, and

teeth movable in the slots.

17. The combination with a frame, of a wheel rotatably mounted thereon, a parti-spherical shell carried by the wheel and having slots, and teeth movable in the slots and having flanges contacting with the interior and exterior of the shell.

18. The combination with a frame, of a wheel rotatably mounted thereon, and a series of independently movable teeth carried by the wheel.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name scribing witnesses.

JOSEPH A. WILLIAMS. Witnesses:

EMILY LONG, J NO. M. BITTER. 

